"Maybe it doesn't happen continually to you, but every once in a while, something happens or someone says something that pushes a button inside you and throws you into a tizzy! When this occurs, do you say and do things you later regret? Do You feel sorry that you allowed the devil to get to you again? If what I just described sounds familiar, I have help for you today! In Philippians 4:7, the apostle Paul writes, "and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep you hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."" This was a small nugget of the lesson I read to my family today from "Sparkling Gems" by Rick Renner. It's a devotional/Greek word study. Every morning, I wake the children up saying "C'mon kids! It's time for Sparkling Gems!" My husband abandons his post at the computer, or stops correcting and teaching his math lessons with the children and everybody sits around the breakfast table listening. Some of us (including me) may be a bit sluggish, but we are all there. This lesson was particularly convicting (and encouraging) to me because just a few days before I had preformed a lovely hissy fit for all to observe! Perhaps you too, may be in need of some "Sparkling Gems".
Despite my motivation to get out cross country skiing these past few days, I have been foiled often. On Friday, snow clumped up on my skis and I ended up going on a lovely hike instead. On Saturday, I tried spraying silicone spray on the bottom of my skis. The snow conditions had changed though, and everything was excessively slippery. Instead of packing Moonbeam in the baby backpack, I pulled her in her sled, which was probably good because I fell down often! Add to that, I had to keep stopping because Moonbeam was not keen on sharing her sled with my stinky old hikers. She displayed her displeasure by kicking them out with her feet! I repositioned them around her sled several times and several times they ended up falling out and/or getting dragged behind. As you can see by the pictures, quite pleased with herself, she eventually napped. On Sunday, Elasta Woman's family came over for dinner. We had explored the idea of skiing together, but that didn't work out. We ended up on a hilarious hike pulling our kids along in sleds. The children had a grand old time laughing and frolicking along the way. I suppose I may not complain, because I have had a good time and gotten exercise each day, anyway. I will try again today - lol!
On one of these attempts, I found myself thinking about Moonbeam. Some of her first memories will most likely be out in the forest because she is there almost every day. What a wonderful thing for her to treasure. So many children grow up in day cares. They grow up listening to their parents fighting. They grow up being bribed by a McDonald's drive through. Eating and Exercise Habits form very young as do other life habits. Just the other day, someone told me she looked out her window and saw a little 3 year old girl playing in the snow wearing nothing but a diaper and t-shirt. Hurriedly she went out, scooping up the child and brought her to her house. The door was cracked open, so she gingerly carried the child in. There in the front room laid the caregiver passed out with a needle in her arm. Fearful, she took the child home and called 911. She was chastened by the police and told that she could be charged with kidnapping for removing the child from the property. How sad. These extremes exist every day in the lives of children growing up all around us. What will your children's first memories encompass? How about your grand children or neighborhood kids? What kind of heritage of memories can we purposefully instill in their tender little hearts?
Above Photos : Hilarious Hike with Elasta Woman and Children
3 comments:
You've convinced me - I need to look for this book. It sounds like a great devotional.
hello dear feeling sorry for the poor child playing in ice without wearing warm ,i just wanna share that about year ago i got job in my favorite school i wanted to put my youngest one in the same i was selected but later principle told me that child could not join cause he is under four so i left the opportunity which i found after long wait i had my in laws and can leave my child therefor day time but i could not do it i have no regrets,thanks for sharing such nice thoughts god bless you
This is so true about children. The Lord has blessed me with being able to minister to children other than my own. I love it. Very sad that the woman who helped that child could be punished for being a good neighbor. Even so, those kind of acts build treasure in Heaven, God knows.
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